Across Epes, EPA monitoring data shows low violation rates and healthy safety margins - a pattern that places the city well above AL's average for drinking water compliance across recent reporting cycles.

Data: EPA SDWIS

Overview

We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Epes, Alabama (population ~465), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 4,680 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.

The available EPA record reports 0 violations for 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count.

Home Safety Score

Average Home Safety Score for Epes: B (83/100)

Model 4.0.0 uses four measured components across three equally weighted domains. If a required domain is unavailable, no score is published:

Factor	What It Measures
Water Quality	EPA violations and compliance history
PFAS MCL Screen	UCMR 5 testing against the covered federal MCLs
Radon Risk	EPA radon zone classification
Annual AQI	EPA AirData county-year median with at least 90 observed days

Water Sources

Epes water systems draw from: Groundwater.

Lead & Copper

• Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0017 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
• 0 of 1 ZIP code with known status exceed the EPA lead action level

Radon Risk

Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)

The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.

Areas with No Violations

All ZIP Codes in Epes

• 35460 [B]

Data Sources

• Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
• Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
• Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones

Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.

Housing Age Profile

Epes's residential inventory spans multiple construction eras, with the median build year of 1998 landing in a zone where pre- and post-1986 homes are both well represented. That split matters because homes built before 1986 may contain lead-soldered copper joints - a plumbing practice banned that year - while those built before 1970 face the additional possibility of lead pipes in the service line. Whether a specific household sits on the older or newer end of this distribution is the primary variable shaping its individual exposure risk.

1998

Median Year Built

42%

Pre-1986 (Lead Paint Risk)

9%

Pre-1970 (Lead Pipes Risk)

Pre-1970 (9%) 1970–1986 (33%) Post-1986 (58%)

Most homes in Epes were built after 1986, reducing the risk of lead contamination from plumbing. Older homes should still be tested.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.

Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Epes Homeowners

When remediation costs are measured against Epes home values, the resulting ratio is in the low tier - addressing documented water and safety issues here claims only a minor fraction of typical equity, and most homeowners are in a position where the financial commitment is straightforward rather than a material burden on their household budget.

Median Home Value

$56,000

Est. Remediation

$400

Remediation as % of home value 0.7%

Remediation costs in Epes are relatively low compared to home values. The $0–$800 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 66% below the Alabama average.

Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Epes

42%

Homes Built Before 1986

0.0017

mg/L Avg Lead (Limit: 0.015)

Why children are most at risk: The CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.

Wherever 42% of local housing was built before solder rules changed - as is the case in Epes - a faucet-level sample closes the gap that aggregate utility data cannot.

Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.